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They’re one of the hottest Electro acts out there at the moment and if you’ve been to one of their live gigs, you’ll agree their DJ/VJ performance is EXPLOSIVE. Not only do these guys get a party started, they know how to party too. Double Adapter (brothers Tim and Dan Apter) chatted to LW Mag about what goes into a live performance, their fans and THAT music video for ‘Eat You Alive”…
Band: Double Adapter
Members: Tim and Dan Apter (Max Lehr/Drums, Tom Revington/Guitar when performing as band)
Hometown: Johannesburg, RSA
Genre: Electro
Label: Griet Artists
Years performing: 2
Sounds like… DISTORTION and POP had a baby
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6EMxis4VVE
What is your guys’ musical background – how did you get into VJ/DJ thing?
T: I’ve been in bands for years, and started DJing for fun about 3 or 4 years ago.
D: I’ve been DJing for years and started VJing about 3 or 4 years ago.
Describe the house and electro scene in SA – how does it compare to overseas and how is it changing?
T: the SA electronic music scene is growing in leaps and bounds – what used to be a small generic party scene has quickly turned into a very discerning audience of electronic music fans. The house and electro scene are still distanced from each other to a certain degree, but I think as genres are warping and evolving, we’re seeing things become closer and closer and audiences merging…
How would you guys describe your fan base?
T: We have an awesome fan base! People that come to Double Adapter shows are really there to let loose and party with us. It’s not a serious thing – we DJ because we love to party.
D: Wow, our fans are crazy and we love each and every one of them. They are incredibly devoted to us and incredibly devoted to partying!
What are some of the most stressful things about doing a live act that we probably wouldn’t think about or know about?
T: A lot can go wrong in a live act. Particularly now that Double Adapter is moving in a live direction, we have a drum kit and guitar to worry about, how it’s going to sound in a given club when we play, and in a lot of circumstances we have to set our equipment up while another act is playing and change over seamlessly without a sound check. Up until recently, laptops skipping due to heavy bass in some venues [was a problem] but we’ve since upgraded to get rid of that!
D: Yeah it’s really not as simple as it seems, it’s a constant worry before the show and during it as well. You know something is more than likely going to go wrong, it’s about learning to see it happening before it does.
Finish the sentence. The best part of a gig is when…
T: …you finish and someone comes up and tells you they had an amazing time…
D: …you get a bottle of tequila smashed in your face.
What has been your biggest and best performance/live show to date?
T: We’ve been fortunate to play pretty high profile slots at a lot of shows and festivals lately, but our two favourites are still Oppikoppi 2010 and Grietfest in August 2011. Crazy crowds, an awesome show, and a ton of stage diving!
What’s the most important element a live show must have for Double Adapter?
T: It’s all about lights, visuals and BASS – if the sound or the strobes or the visuals aren’t there, it can never quite resonate. Tequila doesn’t hurt either though!
D: Yeah and hopefully neither of us is injured so we can full[y] rock out to it.
When will your first EP/Album be available?
T: Well, it’s a question we get a lot. We don’t have any goals set for an album at this stage, but hopefully a remix EP will be available in early 2012.
You guys filmed an electro documentary whilst overseas last year – what were your motives for doing so?
T: We wanted to show people in SA that the scene in Europe isn’t superior, just different. And we also wanted to convey what it’s like touring as a small DJ duo… it’s always a crazy trip, but it ISN’T easy!
Well done for being one of the finalists in last year’s MK MVP. Your music video for “Eat You Alive” is insane! What has been the response so far to it?
T: We’ve had an awesome response, and it’s shocked me just how many people love zombie films and gore! Ha-ha! We’re really excited that the general response has put our video in at least the top 5 of the MVP videos this year.
How much meat did you guys use in the video and how icky was it really?
T: I can’t remember the exact amount (I think 20kg?) but it was REALLY icky! The leading lady Jay Anstey, as well as the fans, were total TROOPERS about getting in there and giving us really spine chilling gross out footage!
D: Yeah it was really freaking gross, I’m basically a carnivore and I wouldn’t go near it.
How would you say your video differed from the other MK MVP finalists?
T: I think the biggest difference is NO SLOW MOTION! Ha-ha. Other than that, we didn’t go for a glossy look – we wanted it raw and edgy, beautiful too, but not in a high budget way – it had a pretty different aesthetic to the other videos.
How would you say your guys sound differs from what else is out there?
T: I think the fact they we don’t ever play unedited tracks (ie. all of what we play has been Double Adapterised), and that we routinely play messed up pop music that people can sing along to sets us apart. But other than that, it’s definitely our stage shows – not many DJs fall over and break things as much as us.
What’s the process of creating songs for you guys?
T: Dan isn’t involved on the music side except as a taste tester – if he doesn’t like it, it’s gone. My process is pretty weird – I’ll mess around and cut and paste and delete and duplicate sounds until I find a little seed of something cool – and that’s where it begins. But it all happens in my studio in Joburg.
What’s the plus side and the downside to being brothers and working together?
T: The plus side is that we couldn’t ever really have the fall out. The negative side is that we couldn’t ever really have a fall out!
D: Ha-ha! That’s very true. I couldn’t have put it better myself.
Work hard, play harder – true or false?
T: Totally true. The trick is knowing when to switch from one to the other and back again.
D: Working hard is playing hard.
What has been the most honest thing that has been said about your music – the kind of thing you’d hope people would “get” about your music?
T: I guess that it’s party music. Double Adapter is not and has never been about music that you would listen to for a song writing kick, or lyrical genius – it’s music that exists to make you excited, happy, and ready to MOVE. A few people have said electro, and especially the “banger” or “trash” style we play is a stupid genre, but I think they aren’t appreciating it for what it is – it’s not the Mona Lisa, it’s fucking Jackson Pollock!
D: Wow, that was deep man.
